Roosters: Will 'Opes' see out his contract?

[DeeGan]

Roosters: Will 'Opes' see out his contract?



The Sydney Roosters move to oust Ricky Stuart last season after a couple of lean season despite three consecutive Grand Final appearances from 2002 to 2004 with one premiership should serve any new Roosters coach notice - deliver results or pack your bags and "tell your story walking".

Chris Anderson, two time premiership winning coach with Canterbury (1995) and Melbourne (1999), this morning will be going over the tape to see where he can find some improvement in the once mighty Sydney Roosters club who were defeated 43-6 by the North Queensland Cowboys.

The loss is their fifth in a row including the end to the 2006 season and leaves the glamour club on 999 total wins. When that elusive win comes is anyone?s guess going off the form shown in the first two rounds of the competition.

Ever the innovator, Chris Anderson experimented with the one marker idea in round one and was widely criticised- with good reason, the Rabbitohs made forty two dummy half runs (lead the NRL in round one) and made good metres on each occasion.

Last night the Roosters seemed to revert to the conventional two-marker system after flirting with the one marker early only to realise they were going to be carved up by the little men of the Cowboys. If the Roosters had three markers, it would not have mattered in the end; a superior opponent outclassed them.

Phil Gould is said to have left before fulltime against South Sydney ? there was nothing on show last night to suggest he stay tuned in until the final siren last night. If Gould is not happy, you can bet your last dollar he is in the ear of close friend Nick Politis telling him exactly why despite what he would have you believe.

Assistant coach and Roosters legend Brad Fittler is being groomed as heir apparent to take over the reigns. Most expect this to be for the 2009 season ? will it be 2008?

Two losses from two games is not the end of the season though the Roosters management has proven with their sacking of Australian coach Ricky Stuart that they demand success. A repeat of 2006 is not acceptable.

A reasonable board of directors would grant Chris Anderson more than one season to make an impact on his club it has to be said, though most NRL club board of directors don't have a club legend and one of their favourite sons sitting on the sideline ready to start a coaching career.

Is Brad Fittler ready? No is the easy answer though rest assured the guiding hand of Phil Gould, one of the great coaches of the modern era, will more than will compensate for a lack of coaching experience.

Definately a strong possibility for 2008 ...

[Steve]

To be honest, it always seemed to me Gould was still coaching the Roosters, and Stuart was a puppet.
Are they going to do the same with Freddy?

Both Stuart and Fittler were great players of their generations, and certainly with the vision needed to play half, that should carry well into coaching.

No doubt Gould is a brilliant coach, love him or hate him (as a Panther fan, it's a bit of both!), and while a mentor is a great thing for an up and coming coach, I wonder if it can be smothering too. It seemed like as Gould had less to do with the rorters coaching, the worse they did. Hopefully Ricky can develop more with the Sharks.

Not that it matters, forwards make the best coaches.

[DIEHARD]

Murray didn't last, Stuart didn't last and Anderson will not last.

[Social Loafer]

and to think Canberra was criticized for NOT signing him up as a coach... I saw parts of this game at the Tradies and the Roosters were getting carved up big time. Great idea to play 1 marker champ...

[Chris_Walker_Rules]

Roosters cant play for peanuts